St. Landry democrat., 1887-08-13
TYPICAL SCOTCH NOBLEMEN.
Facts About the Earl of Mar and the
Marquis of Huntley.

Says the London Spectator, reviewing Tay-
lors Historic Families of Scotland" There
is no question whatever that the Earl OF
Mar, who in 14I gained the battle of Har-
law over Donald, Lord of the Isles-or, to be
strictly accurate, who did not lose Twas
one of Scotlands greatest benefactors, for
that conflict. settling the issue between Saxon
and Celt in the North in favor of the former.
was quite as epoch making as the battle
of Bannockbrrn. Yet Mar was in his ear
her days, q cateran Of the worst and most
ruthless type His claim to the title by
which he is known in his country's history
is more than doubtful. Not connected with
the Mar family by blood, but only the lille
ultimate son ofthe Earl of Buchan-whO was
known by and deserved the nickname of 'the
Wolf of Badenoch'-this man, Alexander
Stewart by name, seized the person ofSir Nal
colin Drummond, husband of Isabella, Count.
esS of Mar in her own right, and committed
such outrages upon him that he died. Shortly
after, Stewart descended upon the Castle OF
kildrummie in which the widowed countess
was residing and compelled her not only to
marry him, but to make over to him the
earldom of Mar and all her property. Yet
this adventurer lived to be Scotch ambas-
sador at the courts of London and Paris, to
be warden to the Marches, to repel Englsh
invasions. and, as we have already seen, TO
win the battle of Harlaw, though outnum-
bered ten to one. Coming to later era IN
Scotch history, what an extraordinary char,
acter was George Gordon, first Marquis OF
Huntley, who died in 1886, at the age OF sew
enty-four, and after enjoying the family
honors for sixty years. He was a traitor 10
sovereign and to creed He was perpetually
,rebelling against and perpetually oelng
forgiven by his master James. he mur,
dered the Earl Of Moray in the most brutal
fashion, and gave his daughter in marrlageto
no Of
least of his minor atrocities 1t Woulu oe
hardly possible to find parallel, even ~
Zulu annals. Having clan ieud WIN
the Farquharsons, he succeeded IN mas
sacrng almost the whole of them and car
ried off their orphan children, 200 in numosl'
to his castle. ''About year after TINS ae,
structive foray, the Laird of Grant palo d
visit TO the castle of eight, and after dinner,
Huntly said he would show him some rare
sport Conducting his guest to a balcony
which overlooked the kitchen, ne sno%eu
him large trough into which all the pr0ken
victuals left from the dinner OF the Who a1
household had been thrown. and on slslraa3
given by the cook, hatch was RAISED, aiIJ
there rushed into the kitchen mop VI
children, half-naked and as unciylllzed as i
pack of hounds, who clamored and struggleu
each to obtain share of the food. uraliv,
who unlike his host, was humane HAIL. wa
greatly shocked at this degrading scene, anu
inquired who these miserable children "elS
that were thus fed like pigs. He was in1 3
harsons whom the Gordons and Grants sic"
on Deeside." Yet Huntly was highly. .H Re,
spected in his own district in Scotland: she
loved not says the old Aberdeen historian an
spalding, "to be in the law, con ont NOM
against any man. but loved rest and qtues
ness with all his heart and i'll time OF peahi;e
he lived moderately and temperateiy ~ .
oil
A good neighbor in his marches, disposed
rather to give than to take, foot T Sron :
ously. He was heard to say he never afe"
sword in his own quarrel